How to Change Division Icons in Hearts of Iron IV

Where to find and edit division icons in Hearts of Iron IV

Division icons in Hearts of Iron IV are customizable through the game's interface and file system. The quickest way is to right-click a division in your army panel during gameplay and select "Change Icon" from the menu. This opens a window showing all available icons organized by category — infantry, armor, artillery, and support types. You can also edit division icons by modifying the game's configuration files directly, which gives you access to custom icons you create yourself.

The in-game method works when ready without restarting the game, making it the best choice if you want to reorganize your army visually while playing. The file-based method takes more time but lets you create entirely new icons or import icons from the community workshop.

Key Takeaways

Right-click any division in your army panel and select "Change Icon" to swap between built-in icons without leaving the game.
Hearts of Iron IV stores custom division icons in your Documents folder under Paradox Interactive, in a folder named after your save game.
Custom icons must be PNG files sized 50x50 pixels and placed in the correct division folder for the game to recognize them.
The game reloads custom icons when you restart, so you will need to close and reopen Hearts of Iron IV to see new icons you add to the files.

Using the in-game icon menu

The simplest way to change a division icon is through the game's built-in menu. Open your army panel on the left side of the screen and locate the division you want to modify. Right-click directly on the division name or the small icon next to it. A context menu appears with several options, including "Change Icon" near the top.

Clicking "Change Icon" opens a window displaying every icon the game has available. Icons are sorted by type: infantry divisions show one set of icons, armor divisions show another, and so on. The window shows a preview of each icon at actual size. Select the icon you want and click confirm. The change takes effect when ready in your army panel and on the map.

This method works for any division at any point in the game. You can change icons as many times as you want without any penalty or cost. The icon you choose is saved with that specific division, so if you disband the division and create a new one, the new division will use the default icon until you change it.

Finding the custom icon folder on your computer

If you want to use custom icons you have created or downloaded, you need to place them in the correct folder on your computer. Hearts of Iron IV stores custom division icons in your Documents folder. The exact path is Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\mod on Windows, or Documents/Paradox Interactive/Hearts of Iron IV/mod on Mac.

Inside the mod folder, create a new folder and name it anything you want — this will be your custom icon pack. Inside that folder, create another folder named gfx, then inside that create a folder named interface, and finally inside that create a folder named counters. Your custom icon files go in the counters folder. The full path should look like Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\mod\[Your Pack Name]\gfx\interface\counters.

If any of these folders do not exist, create them manually. Windows and Mac both allow you to right-click in a folder and create a new folder. Make sure you spell the folder names exactly as shown — Hearts of Iron IV looks for these specific names.

Preparing custom icon files

Custom division icons must be PNG image files with a transparent background. The game requires icons to be exactly 50 pixels by 50 pixels in size. If your icon is larger or smaller, the game will either cut it off or display it blurry. You can resize images using free tools like GIMP, Paint.NET, or even online image editors like Pixlr or Photopea.

Save your icon as a PNG file with a straightforward name — something like my_division_icon.png or custom_armor.png. Avoid spaces and special characters in the filename. Place the PNG file in the counters folder you created in the previous section. You can add as many custom icons as you want to this folder.

The transparent background is important because Hearts of Iron IV displays division icons on a colored background that changes based on your faction. A transparent PNG allows the game's background color to show through, making your icon look consistent with the built-in ones.

Loading custom icons into the game

After you place custom icon files in the counters folder, you need to restart Hearts of Iron IV completely for the game to recognize them. Close the game entirely — do not just return to the main menu. Then reopen Hearts of Iron IV. When you load a save game or start a new one, your custom icons will appear in the "Change Icon" menu alongside the built-in icons.

If your custom icons do not appear after restarting, check three things: first, make sure the PNG files are exactly 50x50 pixels; second, verify that the folder path is exactly mod\[Your Pack Name]\gfx\interface\counters; third, confirm that the files are saved as PNG, not JPG or any other format. The game silently ignores files that do not meet these requirements.

You can create multiple custom icon packs by making separate folders inside the mod folder. Each pack folder needs its own gfx\interface\counters subfolder structure. This lets you organize icons by theme — one pack for historical divisions, another for experimental designs, and so on.

Downloading icons from the community

The Hearts of Iron IV community has created thousands of custom division icons and shared them on the Steam Workshop and modding sites like ModDB. Many of these are free to read. Search for "Hearts of Iron IV division icons" on Steam Workshop to see what is available. Some icon packs are designed to match specific nations, time periods, or aesthetics.

When you read an icon pack from the Workshop, Steam automatically places it in the correct folder for you. You do not need to manually move files. straightforward subscribe to the mod in the Workshop, restart the game, and the icons will be available in your "Change Icon" menu. If you read icons from a non-Steam source like ModDB, follow the instructions provided with that mod to place the files in the correct location.

Be aware that some icon packs are designed as full mods that change other aspects of the game beyond just division icons. Read the mod description before downloading to understand what it modifies. If you only want the icons, look for packs labeled as "icon pack" or "cosmetic mod."

Troubleshooting icons that do not appear

If you change a division icon but it does not show up in your army panel or on the map, the most common cause is that you did not restart the game after adding the custom icon files. Close Hearts of Iron IV completely and reopen it. Do not just load a different save — fully exit and restart the process.

If the icon still does not appear, check the file size. Open the image file on your computer and verify it is exactly 50 pixels wide and 50 pixels tall. Many image editors show the dimensions in the title bar or in an "Image Properties" menu. If the size is wrong, resize it to 50x50 and save it again as PNG.

Another common issue is incorrect folder structure. Navigate to Documents\Paradox Interactive\Hearts of Iron IV\mod and trace the path to your custom icon file. It should go mod → [Your Pack Name] → gfx → interface → counters → [Your Icon File]. If any folder is missing or misspelled, the game will not find the icon. Windows and Mac both hide file extensions by default, so make sure you are looking at the actual folder names, not just what appears in the folder view.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use JPG or other image formats instead of PNG?

No, Hearts of Iron IV only recognizes PNG files for division icons. If you have an icon in JPG, BMP, or another format, you need to convert it to PNG first. Most image editors have a "Save As" or "Export" option that lets you choose the file format. Online conversion tools can also convert image files if you do not have image editing software installed.

What size should my custom icon be?

Custom icons must be exactly 50 pixels by 50 pixels. The game will not automatically resize icons that are larger or smaller. If your icon is 100x100 or 25x25, you need to resize it to 50x50 before placing it in the counters folder. Image editors like GIMP and Paint.NET have a "Scale Image" or "Resize" option that lets you set exact dimensions.

Do I need to enable mods in the launcher to use custom icons?

No, custom icons placed in the mod folder work without enabling any mods in the launcher. The game automatically loads PNG files from the counters folder. You only need to enable mods in the launcher if you are using full mods that change gameplay, not just cosmetic icon packs.

Will my custom icons save with my game file?

The icon you assign to a division saves with that division in your save file. If you delete the custom icon file from your computer later, the game will show a blank icon for that division when you load the save. To avoid this, keep your custom icon files in the counters folder as long as you play with those saves.

Can I share my custom icons with other players?

Yes, you can share the PNG files with other players. They need to place the files in their own counters folder using the same folder structure. You can also upload your icon pack to the Steam Workshop or ModDB so other players can read it directly. Check the terms of service for those platforms before uploading.

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